2021 Draft Running Back Preview, Chris Grier's Pre Draft Presser

USA Today's Doug Ferrar. We're gonna break the class down by tears, talk about the fall off from the top three to the next group of backs where the best value is the best past catchers, the best pass protectors, the best between the tackles, runners, all that good stuff you've come to know and love from these draft preview podcasts. Plus, Chris Greer met with the media on Wednesday morning. We're gonna get to all the comments and break down everything

he said in that press conference. All of that and a whole bunch more on this edition of the Drive Time Podcast before we jump into this Chris career press or if you can't tell by my Twitter timeline, and if you're not following me, go ahead and bang that follow button at Wingfield, NFL. But if you're following me

on Twitter, you know I'm back in Miami. I'm at the stadium working every day, getting ready for this draft and getting ready for the Miami Dolphins dot com content as well as the Drivetime podcast content and the live draft party. Come check out me, John Conjemmy, and Channing Crowder as your main stage host. We're gonna have a plethora of guests to go along with that as well, So come check us out on Thursday night. But I'm

at the stadium every day. I'm tweeting about kind of how surreal this whole thing is, and it's kind of like the Dream Job, Part two because last year everything was put on pause when I got this job back in late February, two weeks before the pandemic became a part of our lives. And now things they're opening up slowly. We're still wearing masks, we're still socially distancing, fully vaccinated,

all that fun stuff. But it's kind of like a reintroduction into the job for me being around Hard Rock Stadium, walking out to the field and you know, just purging my inbox from the stands and looking down to the field that I have watched hundreds and hundreds of Dolphins games. It's all just a magical, magical dream come true to be there. The food they serve, everything about the damn place is top notch, five stars, world class. You just

can't believe how great this organization treats their employees. But there was one little problem. On Tuesday. I ran into we have a lunch program you opt into and you can eat at the stadium, and there was no soda available. And I am, yeah, kind of addicted to soda, Like I thrive on caffeine. You've seen the BANG promotion. I've done the diet Pepsi's that I drink, and I go

through that stuff heavily. So Tuesday I didn't have soda with my lunch for the first time that I since I really can care to admit it's it's probably been a couple of years, and there's like no flavor in that, and I just had this taste, this yearning for the soda in the afternoon, and then I finally get home to drink it and my head starts to hurt, Like you need caffeine in your system? Is that common? Like?

Is there is that? What happened? If you don't drink caffeine, that's a diet tribe, but hold another off the rails topic for another podcast. But I just wanted to bring it up because I didn't realize how reliant I was on caffeine. But here we are. Okay, let's go ahead and pivot this thing over now to the Chris Career presser from Wednesday morning, talking all things Dolphins Draft now just one week away. Let's go ahead and play the hits here from Chris Career, starting with an opening statement

regarding the George Floyd death and Tuesday's verdict. Good morning, guys. I appreciate everyone coming on this morning, but I thought there was something I really need to talk about, um before we get started, you know obviously with the George

Floyd verdict last night. So I just think it's, uh, you guys know me that I'm not a prepared statement type of person and doing stuff, but I just think it's important for me to organize my thoughts and I wanted to put them down after the last few hours and uh, like everyone kind of dealing with, you know, what transpired yesterday. So, um, yesterday's verdict, it was a very emotional day for me, you know, for me as an African American, there was a sense of relief and sadness.

George Floyd was senselessly taken from family and friends. His story was one of many that have taken place in our communities over the years, and yet people of color are still asking for equality and justice. The Jury of Minnesota served notice that police brutality is unacceptable and people will be held accountable for their actions. We as a people should all be touched by the raw emotions of joy and relief by the verdict. The justice system worked

for people of color yesterday. However, we cannot forget that a life was loss. I am proud of the work our organization has done in the South Florida community over the years. Led by Steve Ross, tom Garfinkel, and Brian Flores, our players are actively out in the community trying to make a real difference. There's a lot of work to still be done in terms of reform and equality. We will continue to do more and ask others to do so as well. Across the NFL, we have the opportunity

to make things better for everyone in our country. There are a lot of good people that want to make a difference. It's encouraging to hear and see the number of white people in big companies willing to be uncomfortable and speak out against systematic racism. There are a lot of good law enforcement officials who want change for the better. These are good men women who uphold their oaths. We

need to support them as well. You've made tremendous advancements in our way of life, except for dealing with race. It's not just people of color being affected. Look at what's happening with all the hate being directed towards the Asian community right now. I'm hopeful, but not naive to think that this vertical change things, politics and rhetoric have created a great divide in our country. We as an organization believe in bringing people together and valuing all human life,

and I hope our country can move towards that too. Well. There are certainly no words that I can use to even come close to that message, but I will just say this, working for this organization makes me so, so beyond proud. I'm just gonna leave it at that. Let's

get to the next football question here. With the first football question, rather for coach who was asked about the draft board maneuvering going up or down rather from three back up to six and some of the conversations or reports out there in the media right now about fielding possible calls to move a in off that sixth pick. Will always listen to everything We've shown that, and I think you ought to your team and your organizations always listen to any offers that may or may not come.

And at the end of the day, you know, as the draft falls and gets towards our pick, if you know someone wants to call and they make an aggressive pitch to us, will evaluate it, look at the board, and look at our options, and we'll make the decision that's best for the Miami Dolphins at that point. And that's about as basic as it gets, right. He wouldn't be doing his job if he wasn't taking in every single phone call and listening to every single offer and

engaging the entire market. I mean, a person selling their house doesn't just become steadfast on one idea and commit to that and not consider other offers from potential other buyers. Like you, always want to be gauging the markets. That's what Chris Weer in this Miamie Dolphin staff and front

office has certainly done. Up next, Chris was asked a question that he answered in one word, which was enough for me personally with the question, But it was about do you regret the decision to move off number three if any certain player comes off the board that you

did not anticipate. Now, I think, you know, when we made our move, we targeted you know a number of players that we liked we're comfortable with getting So I think with us when you make a move like we did and doing what we did to get back up, we're very comfortable where we are. But again I said, we'll always evaluate it and and draft changes. You know, Um, people fall for reasons unknown or or you know, people uh select players for their roster based on their needs. So, um,

you know, we're comfortable where we are. We feel very good where we are, and and we won't have any regrets. I mean, doesn't that just seem so like obvious, Like do you think Chris would put himself in a position where there's like a doomsday scenario where the trapdoor could

fall off from under him. Of course, there are players they feel comfortable that they believe there are enough guys that somebody they feel great about will be their number six, and if there's a better offer on the table, then you consider it. It's it's pretty straightforward to me. Chris answers that question pretty straightforward as well. Let's go ahead and pick this up here with the next question, which refers to the evaluation of opt out players versus players

who did play the season. Now, you know, SOFTA, I think it's it's such a such a unique year. Um, you know, with the pandemic and uh, you know, all players have reasons for opting out. And you know, I don't think it's right for us to hold it against any player, whether it's family or you know, we don't know all the circumstances. You know, until you get to this point you talk to players, But a lot of

players opted out. You know, you also have schools that some schools played four games, so you played tent you know what I mean. So, however you look at it wasn't going to be an Apple's Apples comparison around. So, but you know, for us to sit here and judge players on opt out for the reasons why, it's unfair and I think it's unrealistic. Let's continue here with a question regarding the decision to make the trade and the team's thinking behind jumping around the draft board from three

to twelve twelve back up to six. We've had a number of teams call us, you know, all you know, they're talking about coming up to three and you know, um, we were, you know, comfortable being where we were, and and once we evaluated and then you know, obviously San

Francisco was very aggressive. You know, Um, John was great dealing with He was very open and honest, transparent, and as we worked through it, you know, we thought that you know, um, it was the offers as we talked to it, and once they gave us the offer that you know we were comfortable with taking, you know, we decided it was it was important for us also as well to get back you know, into that top ten and so um, you know, once you know, we looked

like San Francisco could happen, we kind of you know, reached out to a few teams just e gauging, you know, whether they would move or not. And you know, in Philadelphia was you know, a very good partner working with how we uh did a good job with us, um in terms of what we were looking for and what we're looking to do. And I give them a lot of credit. There's a lot of teams that you know, wanted to wait and wanted to wait and see and um, and you know, it takes scuts to make a move

like that. It's like San Francisco and Philadelphia both credit for doing it. Gosh, I just I love that, Like you, you have this offer on the table, like he said, San Francisco looks like it might happen. So we then got on the phone and looked at possible options to get back into the top ten. Wind up finding a dance partner with Philadelphia there at six. So always thinking about the next movie reminds me of that that Puff Daddy video when he gets excited. What's next? What else

can I do? I'm not done working yet. That's Chris care in this Miami Dolphins front office when it comes to draft picks and and working the phones. Up next, Chris was asked about the trade compensation coming back for those trade downs and how Miami evaluated getting those picks in future years and how this team is set to build for now and the future. You know, at some point, you know, and I'm sure someone probably ask a question. You know, we picked you know, three guys in the

first round. Last We're gonna keep adding young players and talent and growing and we feel good. So, you know, we feel really good about you know, how things transpired for us. And I love this next question here from I believe it was Cam Wolf of ESPN asked Chris about the principles of you know, the Bill Parcels Heighthway speeding the exceptions of those and Chris obviously came from

that Bill Parcels tree way back when. And he was asked whether the way of a player is a reason to knock a player or size and how that has changed in modern football. Here's Chris talking about size of players. No, you know, I think it's it's it's all part of the evaluation. But every player tells their own story. He's a different player, you know. So I think you know, the league has changed as well. You know, there's more rules,

it's more of an offensive league. I think what's been evident is that there a lot of smaller players have become really good players in this league as well. So, um, you always value it, you always talk about it. But again, each players is their own case, and uh, you know, um, those guys have shown that they've been good players, you know, at a high level of play, in the SEC and

but that goes for a lot of players around the country. Um, I just think the game has changed a little bit, and I think these smaller players are given more room and and freedom to showcase their talents. Next, Chris was asked to evaluate weighing the value of his draft board compared to building around a young quarterback and the importance

of getting pieces that support that young quarterback. You know, especially when you're um picking up where we're picking, and you're always looking at your team and and you know, and two is a big part of that. And so as we build around and what we're doing, and yeah, you're always looking at, you know, what does your quarterback do best, but you're also looking at weighing that versus you know, the best players available and what you do for your team, because at the end of the day,

it's it's always about the team. It's not about one player, one pick one person. And you know you've heard Brian talk about you know, team first, players that fit right. So um, for us, you know, it is it's just looking at for the right player, the right person, the right fit for our team as well as you know, the mesh with the quarterback and we'll stay on the topic of the quarterback there and Chris was asked rather

about the off season so far of Tanka Vloa. The communication has been great, you know, you know, he's he's been around as you know, working hard. I know, he's been working with the receivers. Um. You know, he's he's he's a very competitive kid, as you know. And I think you know, coming off of the injury last year with you know, no no O t A s you know, no mini camp you know, and being you know, just thrown in right away, that's a hard transition. Um, you know,

especially coming through the rehab part of it. It was doing so you know he's healthy now. Um, you know, I've seen a couple of videos. I'm not on social media very much, and uh, he's been working very hard. I know, our guys have been around and have popped in and out here, um to stuff that. He's been been great with the players and the receivers have been working. So like I said, it's he's going to take the next step. You know, the kids been a winner everywhere

he's been. And really excited for him, especially to have an off season under his belt, and I think that would be really important for him flipping it over to the defensive side of the ball. Chris was asked to evaluate some of the decisions in free agency regarding edge rusher, but also the release of Kyle van Noy, and Chris had an opportunity to open up and talk about the development of some young players that needed to see the

field a little bit more. Yeah, Now, Kyle did a good job for us last year and provided a lot of things, and you know, he helped us win ten games. Like a lot of the players on this roster that are no longer here, you know, wishing the best, you know, But for us, we had a lot of you know, we had some young players that were developing, and um, we felt good about and those guys need to get on the field. So um, at the end of the day, it was decision we made as an organization going to it.

We always talked about, you know, the roster at the end of the season, between Brian and myself, the coaches and the scouts, and at the end of the day, it was a movie made. And in terms of the pass rush, suggesting, uh, you feel good about it, We're like everything, we're always looking to keep upgrading. So there's uh, it's just such a unique year. Um, you know, with the pandemic, as so many teams releasing players, players taking one year deals, uh cheaper below market value, I guess

you could say because of the lower salary caps. So, you know, for us, at the end of the day, you know, we'll just keep you know, looking at churning over the roster, and then we'll go through the draft here and then we'll keep looking at free agents that

are on the streets as well. Continuing along here, one of my favorite quotes from Chris and this next bit and favorite themes of this press conference was about the development and we'll get to my question for Chris here in just one second, but about how players are perceived in the building as they developed and go through meetings and practices, and the way they work with their teammates as opposed what has seen you know, sixteen times a year on Sunday, and what the fans might have as

a perception. Here's Chris talking about development and the belief employers and getting contributions from guys they draft early, but also how important that development is going into their second, third, fourth years and so on. Uh, you know, I think it all depends on where they fall. My get the day. There's uh, some of those players, yeah, they'll be starters,

impact players. But again, where as you've heard Brian saying, I love this statement, is like when you're coming in, no one's a starter, you know in April, guys, after these rookies have to come in, there's such a transition for him to learn and and I think that's why you always see guys take those huge second year jumps, you know, like Van Ginkle for us last year, and I think, uh, uh, you know Mike g did a few years ago, made the jump after you know, rookie

year or you know, people were you know, unsure of him. And I think with all these guys, it's you preach patients for him a little bit. But I know, because guys are first round, second round picks, you know, um, you'd like them to be in players right away, and they may be, but it may be subtle to the coaching staff and personnels that were you all feel bit about it and you're just making you know, waiting for for the public to see it. But at the end

of the day, um, they could be stars. But again, the players make their own, make their own way and create their own jobs on the team here, and Brian's created a create environment here of competitiveness. And that's what I love about our guys here, you know, I think that's why we won ten games last year. Guys that here generally know it's about competition and taking care of each other. And that's an important thing. And let's go ahead and finish it off with my question for Dolphins

general manager Chris Career. Hey, Chris, good morning. Thanks for doing this with us um. I was curious how much does Flow and his coaching staffs ability to develop talent, like you mentioned with Van Gegel and GOSICKI, how much does that kind of way into the decision to acquire as much draft capitals you guys have accumulated the last couple of years. You know, that's part of it. You know, we're not afraid to make picks, you know us at the end of the day, it's you know, we'll make

the picks. But we have great confidence that this coaching staff has shown that they can develop players and get the best out of them. And and so that's the exciting part of it is that, you know, listening to them the thought probs and watching those guys coach every day and the details that you know Brian and the

staff are on is what makes it fun here. And the players know that and they appreciate it and UH and finding those right type of guys that love to work and do everything is um it's very important because we know those players can get even better and so that's the exciting part of working with Brian and his staff. So plenty of good stuff there from Chris Career Dolphins GM. You can find that interview in its entirety or press conference, i should say, up on YouTube, as well as the

team page on Miami Dolphins dot com. Really good content there from Chris. Let's go ahead and finish out this lengthy edition of the Drive Time Podcast with my interview with USA Today's Doug Ferrar as we wrap up the positional preview for the draft with the running back class US Well, and we've done it all so far. Let's get to my interview with Doug fur and riding shotgun with us now on the Drive Time Podcast. Is the

NFL editor for USA Today. He does great work regarding all things NFL and draft and everything in between, and he's holding it down in the Pacific northwest out in beautiful Seattle, Doug Ferrar, Doug, how the hell are you doing man Seattle? For the wind the week of clear skies and seventy degrees of which we don't tell people, as you know, because you get real it rains all the time and it's miserable. Yeah, four months of the

year you can't leave your house. Well, we are here to talk about something besides weather in a position group that has a unique tie between your current hometown up there in Seattle and my current hometown in South Florida. With Miles Gascon and Savan Akhmed, and you know, the three of us have made the pilgrimage as it were, from the Pacific northwest to South Florida. So let's go ahead and start there with the current Dolphins running back roster.

Both these guys, Doug, are sub two hundred pound guy eyes, but offer a kind of slashing style to their game. Now, Savon only played a very limited basis last year, but Myles was a future feature back for the ten or eleven games that he was healthy for. What did you make of Miles Gaskins season? What the Dolphins had in the backfield last year? I think it's a good back.

He was mean, he was productive in college is one of the feedbacks I believe ever to have four one thousand yeards seasons in in the n C A. Um, you know, I think and Ahmed he made my have a thing called Secret Superstars in the un season where I take guys who were you know, hey, we should be talking about. I think week tend against the charges he made. It was a week fifteen. It'st Patriots kind of went off. You could have made it then. Um, Studentsville,

I mean where he comes from. It's it's a lot of zone scheme. But the Dolphins run game was interesting last year. I was looking up stats on that and kind of watching tape in preparation for this. There's a lot of power, a lot of gap, a lot of draws um on. It seems like a really good draw runner. Most of their zone runs were quarterback runs, and it was almost as much Fitzpatrick as it was to uh, which you'd think it was too way running, you know,

zone reading, arpo and all that stuff. If they want to. And and most defensive head coaches, as Florida's obviously is through the years, most offensive head coaches want a balanced offense with a dominant back. So if they want that guy, they didn't get him in free agency. They have what four picks in the top fifty they can certainly do in the draft. He's talked a lot about his desire to run the football and to be physical and establish

all those old school principles that you talk about. Had a full knock on the roster for a long time as well. A defensive head coach go, I want to run five wide. You know for birds old school Don Court, you will never hear any offensive ever. Ever, it will never happen. So that's exactly right. I'm just glad that you pronounced Eric Judisville's last name right, because I hear that pronounced incorrectly all the time, and so I really

appreciate you getting that right. Let's let's go ahead and continue on that theme with coach Doudisville, one of the co offensive coordinators here and kind of his track record. You talked about the zone schemes, and we saw it in twenty eight team when he first got here. There was so much more nuance and more like kind of wrinkles throw into the running game. When Frank Gore got in town and they had Kenyan Drake and we're balancing those two guys. But he's been the run game coordinator

here since that year. He's coach running backs for decades. He's typically Doug had two twenty pound guys that can carry the bulk of the load, from Travis Henry to Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch, No, Sean Marino and Denver. That's been what he's worked with. So with those traits in mind, does anybody in this class stand out above the rest for you when it comes to those traits. If you want that sort of guy, I'm looking through my list here Ramandri Stevenson from Oklahoma six foot to thirty and

you would think, oh, he's Brandon Jacobs. He's gonna beat the crap on you. UM. I compared him to Stephen Davis. He's more. It's interesting he runs. He runs in a more agile fashion, like he's a power back who runs like a what I wrote was from zero to ten yards. He's a bigger back who moves like a smaller back in a good way. Excellent short area agility for a size can bounce from gap to gap in a relative break, ran through a lot of open gaps in Oklahoma's mixed

blocking line kind of a put you know, equals. So when I'm looking at running backs, I want to see, well, how many times you have to work your way out of something? There were times where Stevenson just had he could have You could have driven a semi truck from the holes he had. That's not to debit kim, Um. He does have the reality break tackles and make games after contact. But and and we're gonna talk about Javante

Williams from North Carolina. I watched It's like when I was a kid and I was a long time guitar player and I heard Jimmy Hendrick for her are clapping. People would ask me that are clapping. I don't care about your clapp because I heard gimmics. First. I watched Javolonte Williams first out of all the running backs, and everyone else was kind of like, oh whatever. So you know he's a He's a decent power back. I think

Tray Sermon six ft to fifteen. He runs like about a two hundred and thirty pounder, and that's both good and bad. Um. There are a lot of guys in this class who are under to twenty and are just more versatile. So it really you know, as far as power backs go, I mean Javonte, who I think is by far the best power back in this class. He's five ten to twelve. Now Marshawn who you mentioned obviously we're fimiliar with him up in Seattle. I think his

top rate was to fifteen. So if you wanted two hundred twenty pound bruiser, UM, I don't think there are a lot of those guys who also in this particular class, who also present well rounded, you know, feature that traits where you can have him in if you're running no huddle, you're not time to take him off on third down, you can have them there that they're done. He can block, you can catch, you can do all those things. Uh, if you're a third down draw team, can he you know,

do that? Does he have patients? Can he cut back all? You know, all the stuff if you want from a future back, UM, I think reminder, reminder, a Stevenson of Oklahoma could be sort of retro fit into that guy over time. But there isn't a two twenty pound back in this class, at least from the proteo weights that jumps off the screen to me, you know, and goes, hey, wow, you know there isn't a lettered four net here is gonna get picked fourth overall or any running back probably

ever again, you just gonna get picked fourth overall. Really, isn't that guy? What struck me watching your running backs in this class and putting my piece together for for Touchdown Wire was that it's kind of like when people say the defensive the interior defensive line class this year isn't great, and people it's terrible. I'm like, well, yeah, but you have to know what you're looking for. If you want, you know, a nose tackle, there are these two guys. If you want to an edge, you can

you know, flip inside nut. You might look at Milt Williams from Losantech or whatever. In the same way. These running backs are different. Now, you could look at Niger Harris six to two thirty. That's unofficial, UM, and that's a guy who if they're going to run gap to the same degree they did last year. Um. He had a hundred and twenty eight gap carries last year per

sports Infrat Solutions. For Alabama, Alabama's a heavy gap team that might be a really good fit and I don't know if Nja is gonna, you know, either than I don't know if he's gonna go in the first round. He might, he might not. Um. And the way I would characterize Naja Harris is he does everything well and almost nothing spectacularly. He's a sustainer. He led the n c A with eighty one first downs, but he didn't have a lot of breakaway runs. So it's really depending

on what kind of running back you want. You know, is he there at thirty six? They picked the goat from Houston, one of the big from Houston. Maybe, um, But if Studentville wants that, you know, reminder, Stevenson is one guy, UM, I think certainly Naja Harris should be another. And they had ramand Stevenson on the Senior Bowl roster down there in Mobile, and they had Naja Harris there as well, So a couple of connections there to this Dolphins team. And you know, I was gonna compliment you

for not taking the chalk there with Najy Harris. You did eventually work yourself back into Najy Harris. But that leads me into my next question about these tier rankings of these running backs in this class. Almost everybody that I've talked to her. From my own eyes, it's it's Nagy Harris, It's Chavante will into Travis E. T N. Then a significant gap and then that fourth running back and maybe you even might elevate a fourth into there. We talked a little bit off fair about your favorite

guy there and see you or one of them at least. Um, I'm just curious, is that your top three? And how big is that drop from that top three to the next tier running backs? It's not I mean yeah, And it's funny because the radically here for um. Javonte Williams is my comparison for him, He's an unholy combination of Marshall Nick Chub. He's the best power back I've seen since Marshaw and his prime. Um. I think he's a better power rack than n Chub, which is kind of

an astonishing thing to say. He's had a better power back than Derrick Henry. But he's a more explosive power back than Derrick Henry. UM E T N. I can to Jamal Charles, Um I think if he winds up in camp I know they just took Edwards Hilaire. Uh if I go like a t M want up in an Andy Reed system, that would just be illegal. Um. Kyland Hill from Mississippi State, I would say, is if he may or may not be tier one, Um, but he's if he's not, he's Tier two A for me.

He's a hundred and sixteen broken tackles on four hundred two career carries. Um. He had twenty three exceptions last year for two hundred and three or four yards with one drop and eight broken tackles in three games. So he's really you know, he's he's pushed himself ahead as a versatile back five ten to fourteen now when we say to fourteen, but he's at five ten. It's kind of like that Martsiawn thing where you don't have to

be to twenty to be power back. And Kyle and Hill to me projects very well as just a good overall power back. A lot of leg drive runs lower to the ground at you know what you call that competitive personality, which I know Brian Flores would love. Um, this guy is looking for a fight. Is I like to put it on the field not off the field? Um? You know, because but you know he had that reduced season.

When you go back and watch when you did in nineteen hundred fifteen sixties scrimmage yards eleven touchdowns on two

hundred and sixty touches against really strong competition. My com for him was a bit old school was Garrison Hurst and because as it had tough to fi five foot ten backs in the two hundred and fifteen Conradins who run the hills, power and contact balance and I'm not man compared with with Indian Thominson because you don't do that, but you know he I think less so what Studentsville may want for what floors may want in those bigger backs, but kind of the paradigm they have now, I think

I think talent Hill would fit that very well. That's kind of a dude, all guy, because here's the have of thing you've got to in his first year as Okay, he's the guy. Ryan Fitzpatrick is now in the nation's capital, so too, Way is the guy. He's a timing and rhythm passer, and timing and rhythm passers, especially in to his case with an RPO element, which I think will increase um. Running backs are very important. Running back so

you can catch are very important. Now, Naja Harris might be the best well, not the best receiving back, but the best receiving power back in this class. Kiland Hill can also do that. You know, if you want to get into specific receiving backs, I have a couple more guys, Um, but I would stay Hiland. Hill is a two way, and then you get into more specialists than generalists like Michael Carter, who shared backfield with Javante Williams. Is a

terrifying thought, and Carter is more the speed guy. Um Kenneth Gainwell from Memphis, who I compared to Austin Ekeler the Chargers, very good receiving back. And when I'm a listener, damitrich Felton from MTL. If you want a guy for more receiver now running back can run a full route tree. I compared him to James White of the Patriots, who I know, you guys know very well down there in Miamis.

You have to deal with it twice a year. Um, this guy not a feature back, but always shows up in Belichick's offense because he can do he can block, he can make the crucial third down run, and you can catch all kinds of passes. Um, that's dimetrich Felton. That's more his game. So going back to the main thing and sort of the tears I think this year because if you look, I mean Javonte Williams, no j Harris, Travis E. T N. And if you want to put

kyl One Hill in there, they're really different guys. Um, I think Kylan Hill might be Javonte Williams life. But the other three guys, I mean, they're they're just radically different. So I don't know if it's tears this year with running backs as opposed. You know, it's not really equivalent skill sets or remotely equivalent skill sets. It's a lot of different guys doing different things for a well, and

it's more to fit through your team than it is. Hey, we have these top three backs, and we can take each one of them. Um, either any of those guys would take a different conversation between Chris Beer and Brian Flores and the offensive staff. Okay, how would we use him? How would we use him? You know, it's not so much. And I said, two similar guys, you just take the one you like the best. You really have to adapt your offense to each one of these backs. And I

was hopeful you mentioned Kyl and Hill. I was really hopeful when he got down to UH to play with Mike Leach this year that Leech would help kind of expand his passing game and develop that rout tree and get get us some tape with him as a pass catcher. But he ended up opting out our for a couple of games or whatever it was, so we didn't get to see that full compliment. But man, he can. He can flat out play some ball. I'm glad you have

him on that list. So you mentioned not that potential in again, if you want a smaller guy would want a leg drive and just because the old Walter Payton thing where you're not just trying to avoid contact, you're initiating, you're looking for it. He's one of those guys. Yeah, exactly, and that's that's what they love. You asked what we talked about that with coach Floras and loving the physical aspect of the game. Now, you had mentioned in a previous UH answer that you're not sure if if certain

backs go in the first round. Do you think any of these guys go in the first round? Like, how do you see this? You know the top that twenty I guess, I guess to pick eight team with Miami's maybe we're the running back idea starts to crank into gear. So from that eight teen to maybe like fifty range, where do you see these guys going off the board. Yeah, I've done I think I've done three marks this year. I maybe I've had a running back once or twice. I think I had Harris going in the late twenties

at one point. I don't remember which team. I think I'm mocked Javonte Williams to the Dolphins and one of them with the later pick um. You know, it's really I was looking this up in the last since seventeen backs have been selected in the first round. Uh, where is it? Six have been selected in the top ten? Well seven if you were in good top early. So the trend is obviously going away from that. Um. So it's not like we can look at league trends and say, oh,

three running backs will be selected. It just depends. You know, if Andy Reid is there at thirty one and he sees the Travis at and it's still on the board, and he thinks, when I think, which is this guy would be absolutely insane in my offense, he might do it. He took a running back at three two last year. UM, you know Miami. Certainly it's the reason I assume we're talking about this is the need for that feature back,

whatever that means in this era, that need is there. UM. You know, Javonte in my mind is the best back in this class. And it's not particularly close as far as the world skill set. I like Naja Harris, I like Travis Anti, n there are things that can and can't do. Um. And then you get into Kyle and Hill, who you know you'd want to see more might be

a more complete back than the other two. Um, I would say Javonte Williams is the only guy where I'd say for us round great, absolutely depending on position value, where lead trends were going, and you know, just overall skill set, like how many boxes does he check? So let me let me ask you this then, because Dolphins fans on Twitter and the like, it's all about we have to get Nasey Harris. We have to get Nagy Harris.

You see that. And I'm sure part of that has to do with the you know, the re reuniting with two a tongue of my low of the Alabama connection there. But you talk about Javonte Williams being not even close to the rest of the class. Can you explain to a Dolphins fan who thinks that Nasea is option one to three and four why Javonte Williams might be even a better option. And I'm not saying that you want

the Nazi. Harris is bad player at all. Um, As I said in from the games I watched and the report I put together, my confort him with Stephen Jackson. Um Uh, maybe a Derrick Henry Light who is a better pass catcher, would be a more modern comparison. Um. But what I've said about Nashua Harrison does everything well and very few thinks tacklely. He's not going to get those big plays, you know, the runs of fifteen yards or more. It's not really gonna happen Javonte Williams. I'm

gonna bring up the numbers here, Okay. Per Pro Football Focus, Williams for five miss tackles in seventy six is a runner and nine more as a receiver. Of all n c A running backs in only Michael Carter, Williams backfield partner, had more rushing attempts of fifteen yards or more than Williams twenty seven for six hundred and sixty yards. So the first thing you have there is a really lethal combination of contact, balance and forward motion with aggression to

break tackles. And when he does break tackles, he's got this extra gear he blocks like a lineback. By your reaction, I'm sure you're seeing some of those like wow, um, milely question about him? Really, and I think he has more potential as a receiver. I've seen some people mockings a receiver more than I would. I just you know, he's run a couple of rounds because that's like it

was allowed to do. Um. Really, you look at the Notre Dame game where he had eleven carries for tonight yards and Notre Dame was run bitsing and they're run whatsing Hame specifically, So that's one of the best defenses in college football. Saying okay, Javonte Williams is our problem and they were a solid I would say, what makes

Javonte Williams the best back in this class? I think he checks as many boxes as a Nagen Harris or Travis Ant, and probably more boxes in a Travis at and because I think Travis is one of specialist but I think the he checks the boxes with bigger inc if that makes sense. The things he does well, he does extraordinarily well, like pop off the tape, Oh my gosh, this is amazing well, whereas Naja Harris is more of that.

He's a sustainer, he's not a plotter. I don't want to bring the wrong impression across because I feel like I'm making him sound it less attacktil than he is. He's a great receiver, he's an okay blocker. Um you know, he's a good down after down runner. He's not willing to break away and giving these explosive plays like Javon

Ti william as well. And when you look at the ability to create explosive plays downfield as a runner and this particular power and contact balance and escapability, I just, you know, we talk about these terms like scheme specific, scheme transcendent. I think Javon Williams is the only scheme transcendent. You put him on any of the thirty two NFL teams and he'll be your best back, maybe on twenty six of those teams, Like right now, day one, the

moment he hits the building, he's that good. So it's not to say that. It's not to debit Naga, Harris or Hn or whoever else you like. It's just when I look at the things he does well, he does at a level that makes him spectacular in so many areas that I just have to push him above the rest. You mentioned the fact that he blocks like a linebacker.

He was a high school linebacker until his junior season, and then started playing running back because the coaches like, I think you might be a good running back as well, so you listen aw some facts there. He had the best elusive score in Pro Football Focus history with miss

tackles forced led college football and yards after contact. He's twenty years old with less than four hundred career touches, the Nazi high school val victorian, four time state champion, and he also was a four by relay champion in high school as well, So he's got plenty of pelts on the wall. Stuff shows up, as you've seen the trap chet tra tracked history in the background shows up. After he breaks contact. He's in the open field. Now it's a safety, and now he's accelerating like good luck.

I I woke up this morning. I didn't think I was gonna do with Williams getting faster and coming right at my face. Didn't wake up choosing violence, that's for sure. Doug, can we can we jump into this kind of speed around here? And kind of sorry to cut you off there, but I want to hear your just quick takes on these traits that I listened here and get who the best in classes at those groups? Um, okay, Doug, So who is the best zone runner in this class? I would see e t n. Um he shows the ability

to cut back and and and find that gap really quickly. Um. I think Javonte has that he ran more zone last season than he had in his his previous two. Um. But I would say as far as just the ability to spark off and find the cut and go, probably you t N. I would also put Kyle and Hillizer responsibility. And you had mentioned Roman J. Stevenson. Does he hold down your best gap runner traite? Uh? Well, Roumandius Stevenson

has my best running through open holes. Probably Naja Harris is the best gap for in this class, certainly with the most frequency. Absolutely. How about your best breakaway speedback Michael Carter without questions? Uh, Dmitric Felton is also fast. Michael Carter is just a different kind of fast. We saw them the Senior Bowl too, didn't we. Yeah, I caught his. My comp for him was Clyde Edwards Hilaire.

So if you want that, if you were looking at Edwards Hilaire last year, you can get him in Michael Carter this week. I love me some c e h last year. I think your best pass protector might be in that same backfield. Want Yeah, and and and your best rp O back Oh, that's a good one. Um. Maybe Felton just because he can run a diverse route tree. Yeah, definitely,

that's that's a that's a good one. And when I watched him, and then I do these comps, NFL comps, which I really sweat because I know a lot of people are just getting into the draft. They watch the NFL here, so you want to get a picture in your head. And I'm looking at h Way and I'm looking at you know, trades and production. I'm thinking James White. Well, if James White was in a heavy RPUT system, he would dominate because you can just do some me things

that kind of full defenses. Um, you know, Corner would be a good RP O guy. Um, Yeah, that's that's gonna be important for you guys to this week. For sure. That works. We'll take it. That's all I've got for you, Doug. I appreciate your time today, NFL Editor USA Today, the NFL Wire. Where can the people find you on social and what are you working on leading up to draft

here next week? Doug NFL underscore dog for our f A R R A R. Marks Gofield and I just finished our top eleven which we've just talked about the top of running backs here. We finished all of our top eleven position there to scotting reports and against metrics. We're gonna fold that into our top fifty the big board, which we'll go up tomorrow, um as soon as I get it done, and then we'll have a couple of last mock drafts, couple podcast, a bunch of steam fit

stuff grades for all the pics. Of course, the Dolphins would be a plus A plus no matter what they do, because you know, let me say say that now, I love um, I get me on. Uh yeah, we'll just be we're we're rolling deep and uh stand up Lake. Well, you guys do great work. Adding Mark Scofield was fantastic. He stroduced two podcasts with him every year, un Locked On Patriots, Locked On Dolphins Crossover, Just hired Lori Fitzpatrick. You guys continue to kill it out there, Doug, stay

safe in the Pacific Northwest and go Mariners. Oh yeah, then are good again? Well for now? For now? Yeah yeah, Hartford buzz Man, Thanks and away he goes a very fun conversation that with Doug far of USA Today the Touchdown Wire. Plenty of good content there. He has his top eleven running backs list out as well as his recently updated draft board. He and Mark Scofield worked tirelessly on that, giving you guys plenty of good content over there at USA Today. So Doug for our finishes out

our position by position draft preview. Go back and check out the entire catalog. Quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs. We've covered it all. We had Chris Career on this edition of the Drivetime Podcast with a very powerful statement to start there and some great football nuggets there for you as well as Dolphins fans and draft fans. As for that edition of the

Drivetime Podcast, that's gonna be my time. You all please be sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Leave us a rating, leave us a review, Go ahead and follow me on Twitter at Wingfield NFL. You can follow the team at Miami Dolphins, check out the fish Tank and the audible podcast, and of course Miami Dolphins dot com. And until next time, fins Up.